Adaptive Capacity of IFAD-Value Chain Development Programme Farmers to Climate Change Risks in North Central Nigeria

The study examined the level of adaptive capacity of International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) farmers to climate change in North Central Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed in the selection of respondents. A total of 483 respondents were selected for this study. Adaptive capacity index in addition to descriptive statistics were the analytical tools engaged in this study. The study revealed that the beneficiaries of programme in Benue State focused more on the household level adaptation strategies, while the beneficiaries in Niger State focused more on the farm level adaptation strategies. Meanwhile, the farmers employed both farm and household level adaptation strategies so as to reduce the impact of climate change on their welfare. An average respondent in Benue State is moderately adaptive to the strategies used with average adaptive capacity value of 0.55, while an average respondent in Niger State is highly adaptive to the strategies used with average adaptive capacity value of 0.68. A typical respondent in the study area is a moderate adapter with average adaptive capacity of 0.62. Educational systems that encourages skills acquisition seems to make more impact on adaptive capacity than those that are purely theoretical. It was therefore recommended that government and NGOs should assist in increasing the adaptive capacity of the farmers by conducting educational campaign and training on climate change and adaptation techniques, making reliable climate and weather information accessible to all farmers, climate change should be mainstreamed in all agricultural institutions and organizations, and also need for integration and collaboration between several government and non-governmental organizations involved in climate change adaptation for the usefulness of the recipient farmer at the local level.